DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's lower court on Wednesday wrapped up its questioning of two Thais including a prominent political figure on charges of spying.
Veera Somkwamkit, a former leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), and his secretary Ratree Taiputana appeared at the Phnom Penh municipal court for questioning.
The two are among seven Thai nationals arrested last month after illegally entering Cambodia. The seven told the court last week that they had crossed the border accidentally.
Parliamentarian Panich Vikitsreth of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party is also a defendant. A trial date has not yet been announced.
Thailand has expressed concerns about the new, more serious charges of spying.
'We're certainly concerned about the new charges because we have contended all along that the seven Thais who wandered in to Cambodia unwittingly did so with no ill intent,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said in Bangkok.
Members of the PAD vowed to protest outside Thailand's Government House on Thursday to pressure the government to do more for the seven border trespassers.
Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the case remained under the authority of the courts, and maintained that it would not affect relations between the two countries.
'Our stance is to separate the case from bilateral relations,' he said, adding that Thai diplomats had not been in touch to discuss matters since the two foreign ministers met a fortnight ago.
Earlier this week, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that since the seven were in the judicial system, the case was beyond anyone's influence.
Hun Sen said that if the seven were convicted of illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base - charges that carry a maximum term of 18 months - they would need to serve two-thirds of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.
However, if Veera and Ratree are convicted of the more serious charge of spying, they could face up to 10 more years in jail.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been tense for more than two years with sporadic clashes between troops over disputed territory surrounding the 11th-century Hindu temple of Preah Vihear on the disputed common border.
The temple, known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, belongs to Cambodia under a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice, but sovereignty over 4.6 square kilometres of surrounding land is still in dispute.
The two countries are currently demarcating their border. Thailand's senior border negotiator was in Phnom Penh on Tuesday where he pledged to push ahead with the long-delayed process.
1 comment:
KI team could you please Post my article below in your bloge.
The united state, European union, King, Funcipece, CPP, and 92 precent of cambodia people are not with Mr. Sam rainsy, except Thai thuge that give rainsy hope but Thai thug only used SRP for their benifite, and SRP organization are totaly mess, mess, and messy, now as we clearly see How low, low, low and inexperienced Mr.Sam is? wasn't it right?. Based on negative preach and master in criticising skile stratergy Sam very wishly to divide, divid, and divide our Khmer, and his bige liar skile in sucking our money to support his family morgages in franch, what else Mr. supprior Rainsy can do, ....see any..... any.....no, none nothings, wasn't it right?. Same is Chines, alway smarte in Business.
Can any body could tell me what his father sam Sarry had don any goods things at all,.
Now we clearly see Same family are enslave us most of the time for gaining personal power and wealthy rich. All KI Editor are highly interlected and much more capable smarter than Rainsy, Now I can see KI and other SRP supporter could run SRP by their own, and we all clearly, clearly, and clearly see Mr. Same braind capacity are absolutely imposible to leade us to fictory, for now and for 15 years ahead, No ways that this man Same no longer in our dream, hope any more. He Same aroused our anger against Veit, agianst Cpp, Against all Khmer, do you stile thing if Mr.Sam are ellected to be leader, you think he going to eliminate Veit,? He can eliminat all CPP, does he strong anought to dealt with thia thug?.NOOOOOOO Nooooo and Nooo uslese Sam not at all. we absolutely, see futur with rainsy is about Rainsy his own greedy hunger and cheat all of us. Khmer help khmer not chines Rainsy. As I see You KI must positively chang to fairly ways in your professionalism to totaly focus on re build supperior cultur among Khmer any things that lead to preach stronger Khmer. Best Regards Mike
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